Salvia plant named ‘DSALMAGWAN’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Salvia cultivar named ‘DSALMAGWAN’ is disclosed, characterized by a sturdy plant form that remains upright, resisting lodging. Flowering occurs continuously from Spring to Fall and plants exhibit great performance in heat and humidity. The new variety is a Salvia, normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Salvia hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘DSALMAGWAN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Salvia cultivar is the product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Gavriel Danziger, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Salvia varieties for ornamental commercial applications. The open pollination resulting in this new variety was made during 2011.

The seed parent is an, unpatented, unnamed proprietary Salvia hybrida. The pollen parent is unknown as it was an open pollination breeding program. The new variety was discovered in May of 2012 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2011 open pollination, in a research greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was performed by vegetative cuttings. This was first performed at a research greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel in May of 2012 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in multiple successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘DSALMAGWAN’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘DSALMAGWAN’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘DSALMAGWAN’ as a new and distinct Salvia cultivar:

-   -   1. Sturdy plant remains upright without falling open, resisting         lodging.     -   2. The new variety blooms constantly from Spring through Fall     -   3. The new variety has great performance in heat and humidity

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DSALMAGWAN’ are similar to plants of the seed parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘DSALMAGWAN’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. The new variety has a more compact habit than the seed         parent.     -   2. The new variety has a darker flower color.     -   3. The new variety has a shorter flower inflorescence.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DSALMAGWAN’ are comparable to the unpatented commercial variety Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’. The two Salvia varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘DSALMAGWAN’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety has a more compact and spreading habit         compared to ‘Indigo Spires’.     -   2. The new variety has more inflorescences per plant than         ‘Indigo Spires’.     -   3. The new variety has a shorter inflorescence than ‘Indigo         Spires’.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DSALMAGWAN’ can also be comparable to the unpatented commercial variety Salvia ‘DANSALFUN1’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,788. The two Salvia varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘DSALMAGWAN’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety has larger flowers than ‘DANSALFUN1’.     -   2. The new variety grows more vigorously than ‘DANSALFUN1’     -   3. The new variety has darker violet colored flowers than         ‘DANSALFUN1’, which has lighter violet flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘DSALMAGWAN’ grown in 15 cm pots outdoors in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.

FIG. 2 illustrates in full color a close up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘DSALMAGWAN’. Age of the plant photographed is approximately 4 months from a rooted cutting.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Mini Colour Chart 2005 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘DSALMAGWAN’ plants grown in the Autumn, to Spring in moderate climate in a greenhouse, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. during the night. General light conditions are bright, normal sunlight. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia hybrida ‘DSALMAGWAN’.

PROPAGATION

-   Type of propagation typically used: Vegetative cutting. -   Time to initiate roots: 6-8 days at approximately 18-24° C. -   Time to produce a rooted cutting: About 14 days at 18-24° C. -   Root description: Moderately dense and fibrous. Medium brown in     color, not accurately measured with R.H.S. chart.

PLANT

-   Overall plant shape or growth habit: Compact, spreading and upright. -   Plant spread: Approximately 50 cm. -   Plant height: Approximately 50 cm. -   Growth rate: Moderate to fast. -   Length of primary lateral branches: Approximately 50 cm. -   Diameter of lateral branches: Approximately 0.4 cm -   Quantity of lateral branches: About 8 to 10.     -   -   Color.—Near Yellow-green group 146B.         -   Texture/pubescence.—Lightly pubescent with soft, short             featherlike hairs, slightly ribbed longwise. -   Internode length: Approximately 2.5 cm. -   Age of plant described: Approximately 15 weeks from a rooted     cutting.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Quantity.—Approximately 30-50 per main branch.         -   Average length.—Approximately 5 cm.         -   Average width.—Approximately 4 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Obovate.         -   Apex.—Apiculate.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Undulation.—Weak.         -   Texture of top surface.—Lightly pubescent with soft, short             featherlike hairs. Rugose due to venation.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Highly pubescent with soft, short             featherlike hairs Rugose due to venation.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near Green 137A. Young             foliage under side: Near Yellow-green 147B. Mature foliage             upper side: Near Yellow-green 147A. Mature foliage under             side: Near Yellow-green 147B.         -   Venation.—Type: Anastomosing. Venation color upper side:             Near Yellow-green 146B. Venation color under side: Near             Yellow-green 147B.         -   Petiole.—Average Length: Approximately 2 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 0.1 cm. Color: Near Yellow-green 146B.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: From early Spring to late Autumn in     Israeli conditions or similar Mediterranean conditions. -   Inflorescence type and habit: Bilabiate flowers arranged in     verticillasters on spike, upright. -   Flower longevity on plant: About 3 to 5 days, depending on     temperature; flowers persistent. -   Quantity of flowers: About 26-38 blooming spikes per plant. -   Inflorescence size:     -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 4 cm.         -   Height.—Approximately 30 cm.         -   Flowers and buds per inflorescence.—Approximately 20. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—6 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Texture.—Lightly pubescent with soft, short feathers like             hairs.         -   Color.—Near Yellow-green 146A.         -   Orientation.—About 30° from vertical.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Petal arrangement.—The corolla is sympetalous and typically             bilabiate with 2 small, highly fused lobes forming an upper             lip and 3 larger highly fused lobes forming a lower lip. -   Individual Flowers: -   Size: -   Upper lip (tube like forming):     -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.5 cm.         -   Length.—Approximately 0.5 cm. -   Lower lip (4 fused lobe):     -   -   Length.—Approximately 1 cm.         -   Width.—Approximately 1 cm.         -   Persistence.—Non-persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Very sweet, nectar-like fragrance. -   Petals: One upper lip and one lower lip with 4 lobes. Lips are fused     at base. Upper lip has smooth short feather like hairs, lower lip is     smooth and hairless.     -   -   Tip shape.—Upper lip: Obtuse. Lower lip: Blunt.         -   Length.—Upper lip: 0.5 cm. Lower lip: 1 cm. Tube: 0.8 cm.         -   Width.—Upper lip: 0.4 cm. Lower lip: 1 cm. Tube: 0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Upper lip: Smooth short featherlike hairs. Lower             lip: Smooth and non-pubescent. Tube: Smooth. -   Color:     -   -   Upper lip.—When opening: Inner surface: Near Violet-blue             93B. Outer surface: Near Violet-blue N89A. Fully opened:             Inner surface: Near Violet-blue 96C. Outer surface: Near             Violet-blue 95A. Fading: Inner surface: Near Violet-blue             95C. Outer surface: Near Violet-blue 95A. -   Color:     -   -   Lower lip.—When opening: Inner surface: Near Violet-blue             93C. Outer surface: Near Violet-blue N89C. Fully opened:             Inner surface: Near Violet-blue 94C. Outer surface: Near             Violet-blue 94A. Fading: Inner surface: Near Violet-blue             96A. Outer surface: Near Violet-blue 94B. -   Color:     -   -   Tube.—When opening: Inner surface: Near Violet-blue 91A.             Outer surface: Near Violet-blue 97A. Fully opened: Inner             surface: Near Violet-blue 93D. Outer surface: Near             Violet-blue 93B. Fading: Inner surface: Near Violet-blue             94A. Outer surface: Near Violet-blue 93B. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Ovoid.         -   Length.—0.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.         -   Color.—Near Violet-blue 93A. -   Sepals:     -   -   Shape.—2 lobes fused at base to form a tube.         -   Quantity per flower.—2.         -   Length.—Approximately 0.7 cm.         -   Width.—Approximately 0.4 cm.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Featherlike hairs, with rough lines longwise.         -   Color.—Near Violet-blue N92B.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—2.         -   Filament length.—Approximately 0.2 cm. -   Anthers:     -   -   Shape.—Obovate.         -   Length.—Approximately 0.2 cm.         -   Color.—Outer: Near Violet-blue 90A. Inner: Near             Yellow-orange 22A.         -   Pollen.—Not detected. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—1.         -   Length.—Approximately 1.6 cm.         -   Style.—Length: Approximately 1 cm. Color: Near Violet-blue             92D.         -   Stigma.—Shape: V shape with one side longer than the other.             Color: Near Violet-blue 94A. Ovary color: Near Yellow 3C.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: Not observed to date. -   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     normal diseases and pests of Salvia has been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Temperature range: Observed to tolerate     temperatures from 5° C. to at least 40° C. -   Drought tolerance: Not tolerant to drought. -   Environmental tolerance: Tolerates both heat and humidity well and     resists lodging in wind and rain. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘DSALMAGWAN’ as herein illustrated and described. 